International Rescue Committee

Afghanistan, Yemen, Central African Republic, Syria and Niger are five of the most challenging places in the world to grow up a girl. Conflict, crisis, and instability have contributed to increased rates of child marriage, adolescent birth, illiteracy, and gender-based violence that put their lives and futures in peril. Our #VBGIVESBACK partner, the International Rescue Committee, recognizes this and the importance of ensuring equal opportunities and education so these girls not only survive the humanitarian crises of their countries but thrive.

Here, we meet one such example: 15-year-old Maryama Alhaji Kiari in Diffa, Niger, a country where 56% of all girls are out of school and 75% are married before the age of 18. Thanks to the IRC's tutoring program with the European Union, she's able to pursue her dream of becoming a journalist. "I want to be allowed to study," Alhaji Kiari says, "so I can get to a level where I can reach my ambitions."

Step into a day in her life in the video below…

Imagery and story used with permission of the International Rescue Committee. © International Rescue Committee

From April 1, 2022, to June 30, 2022, Veronica Beard will donate a dollar amount from every sale on veronicabeard.com worldwide, to the IRC, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid, relief and resettlement to refugees and other victims of oppression or violent conflict. The company will also donate 10% of all retail sales made in the United States on April 7, 2022, and June 2, 2022 (#VBGIVESBACK) to the IRC. Company guarantees a minimum donation of $150,000 USD. For more information, visit www.rescue.org. No portion of the purchase price is tax-deductible.